Abstract
Purpose:
To investigate lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) volume of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients compared with age and gender-matched controls by using high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods:
The study included 18 patients with POAG and 18 age, gender-matched healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent imaging on 7 Tesla MR imaging system. Bilateral LGNs were identified and manually delineated. The volumes of LGNs were compared between both groups. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, optic nerve head parameters including optic disc size, rim area, and cup-to-disc ratio and combined thickness of the ganglion cell layer and inner plexus layer (GC-IPL) were measured by Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (OCT). The correlations between OCT parameters and LGN volume were analyzed.
Results:
The volume of LGN was significantly smaller in glaucoma group than that in control group (Right, glaucoma 83.97 ± 26.65 mm3 vs. control 104.13 ± 23.43 mm3 Left: glaucoma 65.12 ± 29.41 mm3 vs. control 92.48 ± 24.20 mm3 , both p<0.05). In POAG group, LGN volume were correlated with average GC-IPL thickness of contralateral eye. (right LGN: r=0.605, p=0.008; left LGN r=0.471, p=0.049). However, there was no correlation between LGN volume vs. pRNFL thickness and optic disc parameters in POAG group.
Conclusions:
We could confirm that LGN volume in POAG decreased compared with healthy subjects using high resolution 7 T MRI. LGN volume was correlated with GC-IPL thickness of contralateral eye in POAG.
Keywords: 550 imaging/image analysis: clinical •
531 ganglion cells •
552 imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)